IRISH GARDENING 



55 



For rockeries or walls Horizontalis is very effective, and 

 should be in every g^arden. All, or nearly all, the 

 species of cotoneaster are remarkable and hig-hly 

 valued for their showy berries. 



Another berried shrub that is worthy of cultivation is 

 CraicEgiis pyracantha lelandi. It is very distinct with 

 small evergreen leaves ; the berries, however, are the 

 principal attraction, and they look charming- on a wall. 

 While speaking about thorns I would recommend that 

 the double '"scarlet," "pink" and "red" be grown as 

 single specimens on the lawn. 



For ornamental planting the brooms are fine subjects. 

 By placing three or five plants in clump fashion their 

 beauty is greatly enhanced. In so far as soil is con- 

 cerned the brooms are readily accommodated, while 

 either from seeds or cuttings they are easily propagated. 

 The Spanish broom does remarkably well in Ireland. In 

 clumps, or as a single specimen, it is equally useful, 

 flowering as it does from July to September. It grows 

 quickly, but stands the knife well, and can be kept in 

 shape. 



An invaluable flowering shrub is the escallonia. 

 Macrantha is a general favourite, and succeeds well 

 except in cold, frosty districts. E. phillipiana when 

 seen as a standard bush and loaded with its myriads of 

 tiny, white flowers must rank amongst the handsomest 

 members of the family. It is very hardy, and retains its 

 foliage throughout the winter. E. langleyense is similar 

 to the former, except that it has rosy carmine flowers, 

 and also very beautiful. The escallonias are all of very 

 free growth in any light, warm, sandy and well-drained 

 soil, and are readily propagated. 



Either as a wall plant or for using in some sheltered 

 corner, and where the branches can spread about at 

 will, Forsytha suspensa is a very distinct and handsome 

 shrub, and one that is perfectly hardy and quite 

 indifferent as regards the quality of soil in which it is 

 planted. There are several forms of this pretty shrub, 

 but they do not differ much from the species, and scarcely 

 worth consideration. 



In Fuchsia riccartoni we have a shrub of great beauty. 

 In this country we may consider it perfectly hardy, and 

 in some favoured districts w-ill attain a height of twelve 

 feet, and then during the flowering period is an object 

 well worth seeing. 



Griselinia littoralis is an excellent shrub for the sea- 

 side, and will succeed well in stiff soils where many other 

 plants would refuse to grow. 



In noticing the hydrangea I shall on!}- mention Pciiiint- 

 lata grandiflora. It is a magnificent variety, and being 

 perfectly hardy should be extensively planted for 

 ornament. To get the best results cut it down to the 

 base each spring, and thin out the weakest growths. 

 The hydrangeas require a rich, loamy soil, and water- 

 ing with liquid manure in summer will greatly help the 

 production of large panicles of flowers. 



Having regard to their freedom of flowering and 

 wonderous beauty of the magnolias it was matter for 

 surprise that certain of the kinds were not met with in 

 the gardens of all classes instead of being sparingly 

 represented in those of a few only. We have no trees, 

 hardy or otherwise, more beautiful than c\\\\cr Magnolia 

 conspiciia or M. soulangeana and well-developed speci- 

 mens bearing thousands of lily-like flowers were 



startling in their effectiveness. The flowers of the 

 former are pure white and of the latter pale rose pink. 

 They like a deep strong loam, if somewhat peaty so 

 much the better. 



As a late summer flowering shrub Olearia haastii is 

 of special value, the daisy-like white blossoms being 

 produced in large and flat clusters at the branch tips. 

 The leaves are neat, and, being evergreen, lend an 

 additional charm to the shrub. O. dentata is scarcely 

 so hardy, but where it succeeds is a good form, having 

 large, holly-like leaves, and produces dense white heads 

 of flowers in June and July. 



The Philadelphus are a valuable genus of shrubs, 

 all being remarkable for the abundance of white and 

 usually sweet-scented flowers which they produce. 

 They require no special treatment, few soils, if 

 at all free and rich, coming amiss to them, and 

 as shrubs for shady situations they are not to be 

 despised. 



P. coronarius aureovariegatus is one of the numer- 

 ous forms of this shrub, having brightly tinted, golden 

 foliage and is an extremely pretty and distinct variet}'. 



Before closing I should like to say how very beautiful 

 were some of the ornamental plums. Flowering as 

 most do in the early months of the year the foliage 

 when developed was also attractive. I shall only men- 

 tion one variety that many consider the best of all the 

 plums — namely, P. triloba. It is one of the first to 

 flower, and as a lawn shrub has few equals, the blossoms 

 remaining good for fully a fortnight. 



Magnificent effects can be produced by the hardy 

 rhododendrons, azaleas, weigelias, ribes, spiraeas, but 

 as already noted in this paper, growers can add to their 

 collections by observing what is likely to suit their 

 several gardens from time to time as opportunity offers. 



Gardening and Health. 



IN the current number of the British Health Review 

 Miss Helen G. Nussey has a vigorous article on 

 " French Gardening as a ' Health Resort.' " 

 Speaking of the difference in mode of life between 

 the present and the past, Miss Nussey exclaims : — " We 

 read the tales of the men of old— of their vigour 

 bubbling over to such a degree that they were obliged 

 to let off their superfluous energy by raiding their 

 neighbours and pillaging peaceful villages, their endur- 

 ance and their iron nerves (think of the way they bore 

 torture and blithely doomed others to torture !), and 

 while criticising the channels in which their activities 

 flowed, we, in this anaemic age, long for a little of the 

 vitality which animated them. Life to them was 

 exuberance — to us it is effort." 



Further on, comparing the conditions of life and 

 labour between the indoor worker and the open-air 

 activities of the gardener, Miss Nussey declares : — " Yet 

 Nature is all the time helping us to be strong in spite of 

 ourselves. Weak human nature would shrink back 

 before her buffets— it prefers to be comfortable indoors, 

 but the gardener is kept at it, and she compensates him 

 amply. We, as gardeners, cannot afford to stay in 

 bed for a week on end with a cold as the world 



